Although Jason De Vos pulled one back with a superb header, defender Fabian Wilnis was then sent off for a reckless challenge a couple of minutes later to leave Ipswich with a mountain to climb.

But Finnish striker Kuqi fired two goals in the space of three minutes to give his side an unlikely victory in an action-packed clash at Portman Road.

Bobby Williamson's men took the lead with a well-worked work move, Tony Capaldi supplying a cross to the far post for midfielder Adams to nod home his first goal of the season.

Things went from bad to worse for Joe Royle's troops as Crawford capitalised on chaos in the home defence by rifling into the bottom corner.

However, Argyle suffered a double injury blow soon after as Capaldi, who missed the defeat to Wolves with a calf problem, limped off to be replaced by Lee Hodges in the 14th minute.

Then left-back Peter Gilbert, who suffered a badly-bruised foot in the same game, was forced off almost immediately, with Mathias Doumbe coming on in his place.

Town took advantage of the chaos from a corner which Jim Magilton swung in and De Vos rose above the defence to thump a powerful header beyond Romain Larrieu in the 24th minute.

But the Tractor Boys shot themselves in the foot two minutes later as Dutch defender Wilnis, already booked for dissent after quarter of an hour, was shown a straight red card for a high kick on Keith Lasley.

Jim Magilton had an effort charged down by Graham Coughlan, but it was Plymouth who went closest to adding to the score as Lee Makel tested Davis from distance in stoppage time.

Royle made a double substitution at half-time, bringing on Matt Richards and Kuqi in place of Tony Dinning and Pablo Counago.

The changes hardly sparked Town into life as David Friio fluffed a header from Paul Connolly's cross at the start of the second half.

A better chance fell to Makel seven minutes later as he tried to curl the ball inside the post from inside the area, but De Vos made a vital block on the line.

Kuqi made his first contribution moments later as he tried his luck from 35 yards, but French keeper Larrieu was equal to the task.

Royle made his final throw of the dice by bringing on Ian Westlake for Magilton, but it was Kuqi who changed the course of the game.

First, he stole in at the near post to convert Darren Bent's 82nd-minute cross to level the scores.

And Kuqi secured the points as he got in front of his marker before converting Drissa Diallo's cross with a flashing header three minutes later.

SportingLife.com